Mounting means for an electron discharge device



May 24, 1966 c. TAYLOR 3,253,084

MOUNTING MEANS FOR AN ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed May 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR CHARLES E. TAYLOR,

HIS ATTORNEY.

C. E. TAYLOR May 24, 1966 MOUNTING MEANS FOR AN ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed May 10 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CHARLES E. TAYLOR,

BY M HIS ATTORNEY.

United States Patent This invention relates to a means for mounting an electron discharge device to associated electrical apparatus.

It is desirable to provide means for mounting an electron discharge device to an electrical apparatus in a manner which contributes to a compact mechanical arrangement of the apparatus. For example, in a television receiver where styling and compactness requirements generally determine the size and layout of the receiver, it may be necessary to suspend a discharge device from a support element of a television receiver in order to adapt the discharge device to the form-factor of available mounting space within a cabinet of the receiver. When the support element for the apparatus comprises a printed circuit board upon which other electrical elements are positioned, it is advantageous to utilize only a relatively small segment of the board for mounting the device. Known means for mounting an electron discharge device do not conform with these desired characteristics and in addition are relatively expensive both in parts and assembly operations.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive means for mounting an electron discharge device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for mounting an electron discharge device in a manner which contributes to the overall compact arrangement of associated electrical apparatus.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved means for mounting an electron discharge device to a printed circuit board.

In certain applications, it is desirable to mount an electron discharge device to a support element of the associated apparatus while at the same time spacing the device away from a surface of the element. For example, in television receiver apparatus, some electron discharge devices operate at sufficiently high voltage levels for causing arc-over between the discharge device and support element or other components positioned on the support element. These devices are also susceptible to corona discharge. Consequently, adequate precaution must be taken to inhibit arc-over and minimize corona. Prior arrangements for mounting the device and which contribute to the desired inhibition of arc-over and limitation of corona discharge have utilized sockets having high voltage insulation. However, suitable sockets with the required insulative properties are expensive, are not readily adaptable for use with printed circuit boards, and do not contribute to the desired compact arrangement of the apparatus.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved means for mounting a discharge device which operates at relatively high voltage levels.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means for mounting a discharge device, operating at relatively high voltage levels, to a printed circuit board.

In a known electron discharge device mounting arrangement, means are provided for holding a body portion of the device. The envelopes of electron discharge devices are generally not held to strict tolerances during manufacture and at times exhibit relatively wide variations in dimensions. Providing an inexpensive automatically adjustable means which can hold the body portion of electron discharge devices having relatively widely differing envelope dimensions has heretofore presented difiiculties.

3,253,384 Patented May 24, 1966 In prior arrangements the means for holding the body generally comprise a material such as a metal having relatively high thermal conductivity which thereby contributes to a cooling of the device by thermal conduction. Since plastic materials are generally less expensive than materials of relatively good thermal conductivity and may be formed to desired configurations less expensively, it would be advantageous to provide a discharge device support means of a plastic material. However, the heat generated by the operation of some devices has heretofore made such an arrangement unfeasible both because of the relatively low thermal conductivity of plastic materials and the susceptibility of many plastic materials to deformation by heat.

It is another object of this invention to provide a relatively uncomplex electrical discharge device mounting means adapted for holding discharge devices of a generally desired size but having envelopes of relatively widely varying dimensions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a discharge device mounting means formed of a plastic material.

In accordance with the present invention, a discharge device mounting clip is provided having an integral support segment including an elongated Wall for holding a body portion of the device and an integral segment extending away from the support segment in a direction perpendicular to the length of the wall for mounting the clip to a support element of the apparatus.

Further objects, features and the attending advantages of the present invention will be apparent with reference to the following specification and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of an arrangement for mounting an electron discharge device to a panel and illustrates one embodiment of the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the arrangement of FIGURE 1 in assembled form,

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2 illustrating a means for captivating the discharge device,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of a clip mounting segment illustrating a means for securing the mounting segment to a panel,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention,

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view of the mounting segment of a clip of FIGURE 5 illustrating the mounting of the clip to an aperture in a panel,

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of a mounting segment of the clip of the present invention,

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of the mounting segment of FIGURE 7, shown positioned on a support element,

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view of a clip support segment of the present invention illustrating another arrangement for captivating the electron discharge device,

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of a captivating element,

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention,

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view taken along lines 12-12 of FIGURE 11, and

FIGURE 13 is a partial sectional view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 9 illustrating a supported discharge device and means for captivating the device.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, a clip 10 is shown for mounting an electron discharge device 12 to a support element 14 of associated electrical apparatus. Only the support element 14 of the electrical apparatus is shown. Element 14 may comprise a structural support member of the apparatus or a panel such as a printed circuit board.

The mounting clip includes integral support, spacer, and mounting segments designated 16, 18 and 20 respectively. The support segment 16 comprises an elongated wall 22 which is formed to hold a body portion 24 of the device 12. Wall 22 is formed in an annulus which is interrupted by a slot 25. The annulus of the wall 22 defines a generally circular cross sectional area having a longitudinal axis 26 extending in a direction parallel to the length of the wall elongation. The integral spacer segment 18 extends from an outer surface 28 of the Wall in a direction perpendicular to the elongation or length of the wall. Since the axis 26 is parallel to the length of the wall the spacer segment extends away from the wall in a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the axis may lie. Extending from an extremity of the spacer segment is a mounting segment 20 comprising a formed channel section for gripping an edge 30 of the support element. The channel section may be generally J-shaped as shown in FIGURE 1 or may assume other configurations such as a U. The channel includes resilient converging surfaces 32 and 34 for providing a gripping force when the edge 30 is positioned therebetween. As indicated in FIGURES 1 and 4, a hole or cavity 36 may be provided adjacent the edge 30. An end portion 38 of the surface 34 may be formed into the hole to lock the clip in position on the support element 14.

As indicated hereinbefore, the body portion 24 of the electron discharge device 12 may have widely varying dimensions. As further indicated, it would be advantageous to form the clip 10 of a plastic material. In accordance with a feature of the present invention, means are provided for adapting the clip 10 to hold electron discharge devices of differing dimensions and for permitting the fabrication of the clip from a plastic material. A plurality of integral ribs 40 are formed in the support segment 16 and extend from an inner surface 42 of the wall 22. Thus, when the device 12 is held by the support segment, the ribs 40 contact the body of the device. The slot 25 allows automatic expansion of the annulus and permits body portions 24 of differing dimensions to be held. Support member 16 is arranged to hold a body portion 24 of the smallest dimension which would normally be expected in view of the aforementioned variation in tolerances. Thus, a support for the device 12 is provided which is adapted to accommodate devices having varying dimensions in body tolerance.

Because the ribs space the body portion 24 from the inner surface 22, a cooling circulation of air may flow between the inner surface 42 and the body portion 24. Thus, the clip 10 is not seriously affected by the heat generated by the device. The clip can then be readily fabricated of relatively inexpensive plastic material. One suitable plastic material which may be formed by an extrusion process is low density polyethylene.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, means are provided for captivating the device 12 in the support segment 16. The means illustrated in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3 com-prise bosses 44 and 46 which are integrally formed in the wall 22 and extend into the interior of the support segment. The bosses which may be heat formed, when the clip is fabricated of a plastic material, are positioned in a manner for abutting the device and limiting its travel. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, an aperture 48 may be located in the wall as shown in FIGURE 9 and a removable captivating element 46, best seen in FIGURE 10, is positioned therein for limiting travel of the device. Element 46 resembles a rivet and has resilient side segments. In the arrangement illustrated inFIGURE 9, element 46 will limit travel of the device to the right as viewed in FIGURE 9 by abutting against a shoulder of the device and travel to the left by abutting against a terminal element 50 which is mechanically coupled to a terminal 52.

An alternative embodiment of the invention is illus- 4 trated by FIGURES 5 and 6. At times it may be desirable to mount the device 12 at a point within a perimeter of a surface of a support element 14 as for example in the aperture 60 of FIGURE 5. The aperture 60 extends through the support element 14 from a first surface 62 to a second opposite surface 64. A mounting segment of the clip comprises a horseshoe shaped channel 66 extending from an extremity of a tapered spacer segment 68. The channel 66 includes integral tabs 70 and 74 extending therefrom and adapted to contact surfaces 62 and 64 respectively for securing the clip to the support element.

Another arrangement of the mounting segment for supporting the clip 10 in an aperture is illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8. The mounting segment comprises an element 76, which can assume the general shape of a sphere as shown, and includes a slot 78 formed in the elements periphery for securing the clip to the support element.

An alternative embodiment of the clip 10 is illustrated in FIGURES 11, 12 and 13. Support segment 80 is tubular shaped and comprises an elongated wall formed in a closed annulus. A relatively larger discharge device positioned in the support segment will exert forces on the wall via the ribs 81 and cause a generally circular cross sectional area defined by the wall annulus to approach a triangular configuration. The support segment 80 includes a relatively narnow passage 82 at an end portion of an elongated wall. A terminal portion 52 of the device 12, which is held by the clip, is connected to an electrode within the envelope and the device is positioned for extension of the terminal 52 through the aperture 82 to a point without the support segment 80. An electrical terminal 50 is mechanically connected to the portion of terminal 52 extending without the support element 80 as shown in FIGURE 13. The aperture 82 is smaller than the cross sectional area of device 12. Thus the device 12 is captivated in the support segment.

Thus, I have described an inexpensive clip for mounting an electron discharge device to associated electrical apparatus. The clip is adapted to accommodate electron discharge devices of a desired size but having widely differing dimensions in a body portion thereof, to space the device away from surfaces of the associated apparatus for inhibiting arc-over and limiting corona discharge, to contribute to the compactness of the apparatus, and to provide cooling of the supported device.

While I have illustrated, described and pointed out in the annexed claim certain novel features of my invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the system illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the claim. K

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A means for mounting an electron discharge device to an electrical apparatus at a point spaced away from a surface of the apparatus, comprising: a mounting clip formed of plastic material, said clip including an integral tubular discharge device support segment having inner and outer surfaces and a restricted passage at an end thereof, a plurality of integral ribs extending from the inner surface, an electron discharge device having a body portion and a cap protruding from an end of the device for providing electrical connection with an electrode therein and the electrical apparatus, said device positioned in said tubular support segment and having said cap extending from said restricted passage, an integral spacer segment extending away from an outer surface of said wall in a direction perpendicular to the length of said wall; an integral mounting segment including means for gripping an element of the apparatus; said gripping means positioned on said element and providing a gripping force therebetween for'mounting the clip 5 6 to the element; an electrical terminal connection to said 2,904,617 9/1959 King 174-138 X apparatus, said terminal having a larger cross sectional 2,979,554- 4/ 1961 Maitland 174--52 X area than said restricted passage, said terminal positioned 3,090,826 5/ 1963 Cochran 174-175 X on said protrnding cap extension to said support se-g- 3,154,281 10/1964 Frank. ment for captivating said device 111 sald clip. 5 FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited by the Examiner 1,000,863 10/ 1951 France. UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,290,461 3/1962 France.

3/1925 Holmes. 599,050 3/ 1948 Great Britain. 11/1942 Iwema X 10 792,266 3/1958 Great Brrtaln. 10/1943 Jones- ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner. 10/ 1957 Kaufman et a1.

5/ 1958 Bower 248-300 X LARAMIE E. ASKIN, Examiner. 

